Jesse w



Patented May I6, I899.

(No Model.)

JESSE \V. RENO, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

IEXPLOSIVE SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,978, dated May 16,1899.

Application filed May 19, 1898. Serial No. 681,111- (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that l, JESSE W. RENO, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shells, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to projectiles of the class known as shells, theobject being to provide a projectile of this class which may be firedfrom a cannon of ordinary construction and which when it strikes thearmor of a ship shall be capable of embedding its head in the armor andpermitting the main body of the shell,carryingthe explosive,to drop atthe side of the vessel and explode after it has reached a suitable pointbelow the water-line.

It is customary to provide war vessels with armor consisting usually ofthick steel plates, such armor being arranged to protect the vital partsof the vessel above the water-line and extending usually from three tofour feet below the water-line. Below the armor the hull of the vesselis formed of comparatively thin steel plates, which are relatively easyto penetrate. It is impossiblein the ordinary method of firing aprojectile from above the surface of the water to make it reach belowthe armored protection below the water-line, the

reason being that when this is attempted the shell ricochets along thesurface of the water.

In the preferred form of myinvention, herein shown and described, Figure1 is a longitudinal section of a shell embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional View of a war vessel, showing the position of theshells after the vessel has been struck.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts in both of thefigures.

1 represents the main body of the shell, in which the explosive iscontained.

2 represents the base or closure for the open end of the shell.

3 represents a hole in the base, adapted to receive a detonator or fuseof any appropriate construction.

4 represents the head, which is adapted to penetrate into the armor andis preferably made of hardened steel.

5 represents a flange which is integral with the head 4 and is securedto the main body of the shell 1 by the screws 6 6.

7 represents a contracted neck joining the head 4 with the flange 5, thepurpose of which will be more fully explained hereinafter.

8 represents a flexible connection by means of which the main body ofthe shell is suspended from the head after the shell has struck. Thisconnection, as herein shown, consists of a flat steel ribbon or bandpreferably made of wrought ironor a low grade of steel. I

9 represents a thickened end of the ribbon, which is riveted tothe-swivel-ring 10. 11 represents the other end of the ribbon, which isalso thickened and riveted to the connecting-piece 12, the saidconnecting-piece 12 being rigidly secured to the flange 5 of the head.

The end of the main body portion is turned down to a smaller diameterthan thatof the outside of the shell for the purpose of forming, inconnection with the flange 5, a groove in which the ribbon 8 and ring 10are received. A groove 13 is also formed in the end of the body portionand is engaged by the pins 14 14, which pins are secured to the ring10,whereby the ring is prevented from coming 01f from the body portion,but is free to turn thereon.

A shroud 15, made of copper or other suitable material which is softrelative to the head, surrounds the head 4 and neck 7 and abuts againstthe shoulder 16, formed by the flange 5. The purpose of the shroud 15 isthreefold-11am ely, to give the forward end of the projectile anexterior form which is best adapted to reduce the air-resistance duringthe flight of the shell, to reinforce and strengthen the head 4 as itenters the armorplate, and to form a cushion which shall lessen theshock due to the impact of the projectile against the armor which itstrikes.

The screws 6 6 are made of such strengthas to hold the head in positionduring handling and firing. At the same time they are made weak enoughso that they may be ruptured by the rebound of the body portion of theshell or sheared off by its rotation. In the ordinary high-power gunshells are given a rotative speed of about two. thousand revolutionsper. minute, so that when the head becomes fixed in the armor-plate thecontinued rotation of the body portion will sever the screws.

The purpose of the ring 10 is to permit the body portion to rotate afterit has become detached from the head without causing injury to theribbon.

The purpose of having the diameter of the neck 7 made slightly less thanthat of the largest part of the head 4 is to permit the metalsurrounding the head to be crowded in, thereby making it more certain tohave the head retained in the armor-plate.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is r 1. In a shell, thecombination with a detachable head and a main body portion hav:

ing a circumferential annular groove formed on the end of said bodyportion adjacent to said head, of a flexible steel ribbon adapted to becoiled in said groove, having one end attached to said head and theother to said body portion.

2. In a shell, the combination with a detachable head and a main bodyportion having a circumferential annular groove formed on the endadjacent to said detachable head, of the swivel-ring 10, the flexibleconnection 8, adapted to be coiled in said circumferential groove,attached at one end to the swivel-ring 10 and at its other end to thedetachable head.

3. The combination With a projectile of a head therefor having a pointedend of conoidal shape, and a neck joining the said pointed portion to abase portion, said neck having a smaller diameter than the largestdiameter of said pointed portion.

4. The combination with the body portion of an explosive shell, of adetachable head therefor comprising a base portion and a penetratingportion of hard material and small diameter relative to that of theshell, and a shroud, surrounding said penetrating-head, of softermaterial.

5. In ashell, the combination with the main body portion adapted to becharged with explosive material, of a detachable head having a hardenedpenetrating portion of small diameter relative to that of said bodyportion and an enlarged flange at its rearward end adapted to be securedto the end of the main body portion, and an encircling shroud of softermaterial enveloping said penetratinghead.

6. In a shell, the combination with the main body portion adapted to becharged with explosive material, of a penetrating-head of smallerdiameter-than said main body portion, said head having an enlargedflange to which it is connected by a neck portion of slightlysmallerdiameter than the largest diameter of said head, and an encirclingshroud of softer material enveloping said head and neck portion, havingan exterior form adapted to reduce air resistance.

7. In a shell, the combination with the main body portion adapted tocarry explosive material, of a penetrating-head of smaller diameter thansaid main body portion, said penetrating-head having an enlargedflange,means for securing said flange to said body portion, a flexibleconnection connected at one end to said flange and at the other end to aring adapted to be swivably connected to the end of said body portion,and an encircling shroud of softer material for the head.

8. In a shell, the combination with a main body portion adapted toreceive explosive material, of a detachable head provided with apenetrating portion of smaller diameter than the main body portion, aflexible connection joined at one end to the detachable head and at theother end to the main body portion, and means for cushioning said headas it strikes its target.

9. In a shell, the combination with a detachable head and a main bodyportion havin g a circumferential groove formed adjacent to said head,of a ring in said groove swivably connected to said head, a flexibleribbon, having one of its ends attached to said swivelring and its otherend pivotally joined to a connecting-piece, as 12, said connecting-piecebeing securely attached to said head.

Signed by me, at New York city, this 18th day of May, 1898.

JESSE W. RENO.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM BoNDY, CHAS. W. OULvnR.

